OYK 2011-SummitReport

8/6/2019 OYK 2011-SummitReport

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One Young Kashmir Youth Leadership Summit Report – Culture, Rights & Economy

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DISCLAIMER

This report is a compilation of the diverse views and ideas articulated by andshared between the 759 Kashmiri youth who participated in the One YoungKashmir Youth Leadership Summit 2011 held at SKICC, Srinagar betweenMarch 20th and 27th 2011. The summit was the culmination of months of discussions, dialogue and participatory-planning led by youth participants of the Mercy Corps Kashmir Youth RAFT Project. This report focuses on threekey issues that were identified by youth (i.e. Culture, Rights and EconomicRecovery) and which were explored through a participatory problem-

solving process during the weeklong summit.

The diverse mix of views, ideas and individual opinions expressed by the

750+ participants of the One Young Kashmir Summit and presented in

this report are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the

Mercy Corps Kashmir Youth RAFT Project or the youth

organizers/volunteers of the One Young Kashmir Youth LeadershipSummit.




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A Tribute

The youth organizers of the One Young Kashmir Summit put forth theirhumble efforts in tribute to all the mothers, fathers, sons and daughters of Kashmir who have suffered and survived the loss and tragedy of Kashmir’s

conflict and in memory of all those people—irrespective of caste or creed—who lost their lives in the strife. Let us build a better Kashmir and pass on ahopeful future for the generations to come.




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In Memory of

Sajid IqbalJune 19, 1984 – May 18, 2011

Sajid Iqbal was an invaluable part of the Mercy Corps project team thattrained, mentored and supported youth participants of the Kashmir YouthRAFT Project to develop their negotiation, communication and leadershipskills over an intense 6-month period. He worked tirelessly towards thesuccess of the overall project and was a key contributor to the One YoungKashmir Youth Leadership Summit. In fact, Sajid oversaw the tedious work

of transcribing the enormous collection of notes from the OYK Summit andput together the initial drafts of this OYK Summit Report. Sajid is dearly




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missed and will always be remembered by his Mercy Corps Kashmircolleagues and by all those he touched through the Kashmir Youth RAFTProject.




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The One Young Kashmir Youth Leadership

SummitThe One Young Kashmir Youth Leadership Summit was a youth-ledinitiative aimed at enabling fruitful, focused and rewarding discussionsamong youth, pursuing a novel participatory planning process that harnessedthe combined value of Youth Imagination and Expert Knowledge.

The goal of this summit was to mobilize youth to develop an effective voice,

and initiate and share processes of leadership, responsibility and action tobuild a better Kashmir.

The year 2010-11 is being observed all over the globe as the "Year of theYouth." The One Young Kashmir Youth Leadership Summit marked the yearof Kashmiri youth through a first of its kind youth-led effort. The Summitfocused on Kashmir in the context of the priorities, roles, responsibilitiesand rights of the young generation of the Kashmir Valley.

The event was spread over a week from the 20th to the 27th of March 2011and was held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre(SKICC), Srinagar. 759 diverse Kashmiri youth, young men and womenbetween the ages of 17 to 30, gathered together, participated, shared theirexperiences and freely expressed their views during this event.

The One Young Kashmir Youth Leadership Summit was a youth-ledinitiative supported and mentored by Mercy Corps through its Youth RAFTProject. The event was the culmination of months of training, mentoring,participatory planning and dialogue.

The main objectives of the One Young Kashmir Youth Leadership Summit2011, were:

To increase youth knowledge on various issues, and greater

awareness of youth rights and responsibilities in society.




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To strengthen the leadership skills of youth, and foster within them,

a sense of leadership and responsibility.

To help Kashmiri youth develop an effective youth voice using goodprocess to get results.

To assist youth in diagnosing problems and developing possible

solutions.

To inform decision-makers of issues youth are concerned about, and

advocate solutions developed by youth.

To create an opportunity for youth to inspire each other, so as to takeaction and build a better Kashmir.

To showcase youth creativity & expose them to creative and cultural

means of expression.

To identify first steps that Kashmiri youth can take towards making a

positive difference.

To create an opportunity for youth-to-youth networking (synergy

unleashed by 1+1=11).

The event provided a physical platform – beyond social networking – toKashmiri youth, enabling them to share their thoughts and ideas on threebroad issues identified by youth, i.e. Culture, Rights and EconomicRecovery. The overall aim of the summit was to incubate the idea of

individual and collective leadership and responsibility taking amongKashmiri youth to address the issues that concern them.

The main feature of the summit was a well defined expertly designedproblem-solving process, focused on the themes of Culture, Rights andEconomic Recovery, with special emphasis on Kashmir. Groups of youthgot together to express their opinions on the various facets of these issues,attempting to diagnose them and problem-solve. All issues were identifiedby the youth themselves, and problem solving proceeded through a novel




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participatory planning process allowing focused discussions with in a largepublic gathering. The participants of the Kashmir Youth RAFT Projectfacilitated this problem-solving process. The views of youth and key ideas

that emerged within small group discussions (tables of 12 people each) wererecorded by youth facilitators and were reported out to the larger gathering.The participating youth analyzed issues and suggested solutions through theuse of a “4 Quadrant Tool”. The technology-enabled participatory planningproblem-solving process ensured that:

• Everyone participated ;• No idea was lost ;• Iterative discussions took place;• Participants' anonymity was maintained ; that there was a clear

articulation of priorities/issues;• There was timely and transparent reporting of the ideas and views

expressed by participants.

The following report is the result of this participatory problem-solving

process; the diverse views of the participating youth on the three issues of Culture, Rights and Economy are presented in the same 4-Quadrant formatthat was used to guide the discussions and to record views and ideas thatemerged in the discussions.




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One Young Kashmir (OYK)

The One Young Kashmir Youth Leadership Summit was organized by a

group of 112 Kashmiri youngsters of diverse backgrounds, who originallycame together through the support and mentoring of Mercy Corps asbeneficiaries of the Kashmir Youth Relationships and Alliances for

Transformation (Youth RAFT) Project. These youth were trained inStrategic Negotiation, Communication & Leadership Skills and were alsotrained in dialogue and problem-solving process facilitation skills. The OneYoung Kashmir Summit was conceptualized by these youth as a jointrelationship-building project and youth leadership challenge to be

accomplished as part of Mercy Corps’ Kashmir Youth RAFT Project.

Thus, One Young Kashmir (OYK) was born. The OYK Summit taglineof "dream, think, discuss, and act” best defines what the OYK youth standfor and what the weeklong summit was all about. To keep updated with theongoing activities of the One Young Kashmir youth, please visit:www.oneyoungkashmir.com




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The 4 Quadrant Tool

The Circle Chart divides the task of problem solving into four modes of thinking:

I. Problem: Identify the gap between disliked symptoms and a preferredsituation. Begin by defining the problem as the gap between “what is” and“what might be.” The Circle Chart helps problem-solvers invent ways toclose the gap between these two lists.

II. Diagnosis: Consider possible causal explanations underlying the dislikedsymptoms. List all possible causes that one might affect. Note: The goal is




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to develop more specific diagnoses that will shed better light on possibleprescriptive approaches.

III. Approaches: Invent a wide variety of possible approaches that mightsolve the problem by dealing with the causes we have identified. Theseapproaches should be general, i.e. capable of being implemented in severaldifferent ways.

IV. Action Ideas: Invent specific plans to implement the generalapproaches. We examine each of the general prescriptive approaches andinvent several specific action plans for implementation.




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HOW TO UNDERSTAND AND USE THIS

REPORT

This report is not a consensus document or declaration from the OYK

summit. Neither is it presented as a youth manifesto. Rather, it presentsthe mix of views and plurality of ideas that were expressed during theparticipatory process of analyzing and problem-solving the three issues of Culture, Rights and Economic Recovery by youth participants of the OYKSummit. These were individually recorded in real-time using the 4 Quadrantformat and these ideas are presented in this report in the very same mode.

The following One Young Kashmir Summit Report presents the diversefeelings, thoughts, ideas and opinions that were expressed and shared duringthe dialogue and problem-solving process. These are recorded and sharedwith the hope that they may be of value to others.

Beyond the youth participants of the OYK Summit, it is likely that this

report will be read by two other key categories of readers: 1) decision-makers of various types and 2) other Kashmiri youth who did not attend theOYK Summit.

It is humbly suggested that decision-makers could read this report to knowand understand the mix of views and feelings Kashmiri youth have onvarious issues and the numerous solutions and steps they advocate toaddress them. By no means is this report reflective of the entire Kashmiri

youth community – rather it is a randomized, mixed sample of a very smallsize (759). It is hoped that the diverse ideas expressed by youth andrecorded in this report would influence better decision-making on thevarious issues raised.

It is also humbly suggested that Kashmiri youth readers should read thisreport to know and understand the mix of views and feelings that a diversesection of their fellow Kashmiri youth have on various issues and thenumerous solutions and steps they advocate to address them. Again, the




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report is reflective of a randomized, mixed sample of a very small selection(759) of Kashmiri youth. It is hoped that other youth readers of this reportwould join in the conversation and get together with their own peers and

discuss this report and add their own inputs and ideas about these issuesusing the 4 Quadrant Tool. These could be then recorded and shared byemail: [email protected]

During the OYK Summit, participants expressed hope that their discussionsand ideas would spur a change and make some positive impact in the realworld. Ultimately, that will depend on the sense of responsibility and actionstaken by the youth participants themselves to address issues and contribute

to solutions.

However, some excellent action ideas and a range of possible solutions onthe issues of Culture, Rights and Economic Recovery were developed byparticipating youth during the OYK Summit. It is hoped that each individualreader of this report – young or old - will identify and circle those individualideas, actions and steps they agree with. It is also hoped that these readers

will commit themselves to advocate for and work towards these actionableideas in their respective ways.

Dream, Think, Discuss and Act . . . . . . . and be the change!




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ISSUE I: CULTURE

The following is a background/briefing paper on the issue of Culture that

was prepared by the OYK youth organizers in advance of the problem-

solving discussions that took place during the OYK Summit. This

background/briefing paper was shared at the OYK Summit to help initiate

the conversation.

The Question of Preservation and Revival of Kashmiri Culture

We must not let go of our culture. When culture is lost, or fails to keep paceand maintain relevancy, key aspects of our unique identity and pricelessaspects of our social life are lost forever. Indigenous Kashmiri cultureembodies concepts of environmental sustainability, respect for diversity andpromotion of social cohesion. Traditional Kashmiri culture has embeddedwithin it a rich repository of knowledge and wisdom that must be preservedfor generations to come.

Culture embodies the intellectual development of a society. Culture is arepository of our indigenous knowledge and values. Our ethos, manners,way of communicating with one another, are important components of ourculture. Culture is a living and relevant force in any vibrant society – aliving culture stays relevant to contemporary realities facing a society andshould serve the social, economic, and intellectual needs of a society.

Of all the successful societies that we know, not one has abandoned theirlanguage. At the same time, of all the languages that have survived the testof time, not one has failed to adapt and evolve. Our discussions on theCulture Problem Solving Day will centre on the idea of Culturalconsciousness.

Without a doubt, Kashmiri culture has to be saved, preserved, revived andsustained and all of us do realize this. Precious indigenous Kashmiri cultural

assets, embodying our ethos as a people, are in danger of being lost if actionis not taken to restore Kashmiri culture.




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Now is the time to act and make it happen. But before we do that, we mustidentify the elements that need to be preserved, those are the basic

components of our culture, the characterization of components and whatdifferentiates it from other cultures, being the key points.

We, at One Young Kashmir, have identified key elements of Kashmiriculture through a rigorous process of extensive brainstorming. Thefollowing is the list of elements, so as to facilitate our discussion on culturein an organized manner:

1. LANGUAGE: Language, we believe, is the driving force for any

culture but not the only element of culture. Our approach to the

revival of culture is holistic, but language is the faster medium of

bringing about the change.

A language survives as long as speakers verbalize it. If the speakers

abandon a language, it loses its existence. Koshur zabaan, is losing

its identity over the passage of time and that is the reason Kashmiri

history is vanishing as ancient documents containing Kashmir’s

history are in Kashmiri language. None of our youth are acquainted

with the language, which is supposed to be their mother tongue. At

the same time, if we look at the languages spoken worldwide

(English, French, Arabic, etc.) there is one unmistakable trend -

adaptability! Languages (and cultures) that adapt and absorb newwords and new customs have survived and continue to grow.

As a matter of fact we are losing our language due to the education

system in place in Kashmir presently. Even as English is the Lingua

Franca and as such the language of communication on the

International level and one needs to study it, we are also paying the

cost of losing our individuality by losing touch with our Kashmiri




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language. There are several other reasons responsible for the loss of

language and that is for all of us to identify and work upon.

Looking at the current scenario of the Kashmiri language theprimary effort has to be taken by every individual in respecting and

grasping the language. Fortunately, the Education System has

incorporated Kashmiri language as a subject to be taught in schools

to endow coming generations with the knowledge of the language.

But this step having come late, what we have lost till now needs to

be recovered by our extra efforts at a personal as well as social level.

Today, we want youth to come up with solutions based on this

assessment and their original ideas and experiences to save Kashmiri

culture, through the preservation and revival of language.

2. HISTORY: Culture, like all other things, is contextualized through

history - a history that documents its evolution. Cultures are

discovered upon studying history and are obliterated when history islost or manipulated. History, not only means the formal study of

written history, but also oral history - history that our ancestors have

passed on to us by word of mouth in the form of tales known as

Daleel. Earlier, kids used to listen to these tales and read about Lal

Ded, Nund Rishi and other major characters in Kashmir’s rich

cultural history. The decline is such that there are only two story

tellers left in the Valley, both in their eighties.

Today we don’t even know the names of the basic components of

Kashmiri Cultural History - busy as we are studying other histories

at the cost of our own. Propagating our history is of prime

importance in order to pass on Kashmiri legacy to our future

generations. The main cultural holders are in the twilight of their life,

with dim hopes of passing on this rich culture to our generation next.




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3. EXPRESSION AND HERITAGE: Expression means something that can

be articulated like folk art (chhakker te rouf, ladi shah), poetry,

theatre, sufiana music, aesthetics including the heritage that

comprises of Pheran, Kangri, wood carving, carpet-weaving,

samovar, etc. It also includes cuisines (wazwan), architecture (dab,

dajji diwari, khatamband talav etc). Age-old houses in the

downtown areas of Valley are turning into ruins and being razed to

be replaced by concrete structures, is the best example of how fast

Kashmiri heritage is degrading. The typical Kashmiri techniques of

construction are no more in use. Many of our religious and spiritualplaces need attention and restoration on not just the aesthetic but also

the emotional front, so that a sense of belonging and shared heritage

is fostered.

Sufiyana music, which has had a telling influence on the Kashmiri

way of life, is slowly breathing its last. Only two elderly Sufi singers

are keeping this spiritual and cultural legacy alive. Band Pather , aKashmiri folk theatre is rarely performed, even as it tethers on the

brink of extinction, due to the lack of avenues and patronage.

All these elements visibly represent our culture to the outside world

and to our own selves. Instead of abandoning them, we need to look

for innovative ways to make them appeal to the younger generation.

Today, all of us are somewhere responsible for disregarding theauthentic elements of Kashmiri Cultural Heritage; landing them on

the verge of extinction. We need to reproduce them and incorporate

them in a contemporary way, so that our heritage is preserved and

passed on.

4. SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS: One of the reasons why Kashmir came to

be called the “Paradise on Earth” is its natural beauty andbreathtaking picturesque landscape. Another major reason is the




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hospitality of Kashmiri people. Somehow, over all the years of

distress we seem to have lost it - in part, if not completely.

Brotherhood, tolerance, pluralism, concern and hospitality are

among the distinguishing elements of our culture. Let’s take a pledge

to revive our traditional ethos and essentially work out ways of doing

so.

5. ENVIRONMENT: The majestic mountains, the clear water, blooming

flowers- they all find a mention in our poetry, carvings, illustrations

and even in the casual patterns crafted by experts of handicrafts.

Knowingly or unknowingly, portraying of Chinar (maple) leaves,

birds, water, the rising sun and the mountains in our poetry,

illustrations, etc. all the time is an example of the pleasing

environment that surrounds us. Many of the above-mentioned

elements of our culture are incomplete without the mention of our

water bodies or mountains. If we still continue to act least-bothered

about conserving our environment, many of the works of art, history,aesthetics, etc. shall be rendered irrelevant. Many of the things

portrayed and talked about shall be gone astray before we could even

know the existence of our environmental elements.

All the suggestions, ideas and opinions are welcome. It’s an open discussion

that involves all the innovative solutions keeping in mind the preservation of

our rich culture with a contemporary approach to the problems.




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PROBLEM-SOLVING REPORT ON THE ISSUE OF

CULTURE

Preservation and Promotion of Kashmir Culture & Identity

I. QUADRANT ONE: PROBLEM

1.1 The loss of Kashmiri identity and culture.

1.2 We do not know enough about Kashmiri history and culture.

1.3 We have limited means and efforts to propagate our culture and preserveour heritage.

1.4 Kashmir’s unique environment is part of our cultural heritage and is alsovanishing. There is massive deforestation in Kashmir. Our water bodiesare also shrinking.

1.5 Too many of us do not know Kashmiri language and those of us who doknow Kashmiri language, don’t use it frequently enough.

II. QUADRANT TWO: DIAGNOSIS

2.1 Efforts to preserve and revive Kashmiri culture as a living culture aretoo few and are disconnected.

2.2 As prosperity rises, people have a tendency to move on to what theyconsider ‘modern’ and ignore the need to preserve Kashmiri culture as aliving culture and ethos.

2.3 Every time we make an effort at cultural preservation, we feel that weare on our own; we become cynical and we play the blame game and

never think to look within and take responsibility.




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2.4 There is a lack of patronage for cultural studies and preservation. Thereare few professional prospects to engage in cultural preservation. Thestudy of the humanities is actively discouraged in Kashmiri society.

2.5 We are inconsistent and adopt one-off approaches. For instance, we maygo to clean up the Dal once, but hardly ever do we follow-up and sustainefforts.

2.6 Kashmiri culture is a composite culture that embodies pluralism.Kashmiri society had more diversity in past. For instance, the departureand absence of Kashmiri Pandits has affected our culture. Many

Kashmiri Pandits are experts and purveyors of Kashmiri culture andheritage and they must be involved in preserving culture.

2.7 Our family setup is becoming more nuclear, leaving less scope forlearning from our families, especially elders, about our culturalexpressions and nuances.

2.8 In terms of culture, we believe too much in tokenism rather thanconscientious action; for instance, we promote symbols such as the‘wazwaan’ and the ‘kangri’, while we ignore important aspects of ourindigenous ethos, traditions and values that are the soul of Kashmiriidentity. Also, very important artistic and folk traditions lack patronageand we do not take action to show interest or support these Kashmiriforms.

2.9 There are various laws that are supposed to protect historical places, butthey are rarely implemented. We do not take enough action to protectand preserve these treasures of Kashmir.

2.10 We are unaware of the activities taking place with respect to culturalpreservation. For instance, most of us do not know about the existenceand efforts of individuals and organizations that are striving to preservekey aspects of Kashmiri culture and heritage. Also, we do not volunteerto work with and practically support these efforts.




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2.11 Too many of us have adopted an attitude that anyone wearing ethnicKashmiri clothing is thought of as backward. We don’t encourage those

who express their traditional culture.

2.12 Our cuisine still lacks commercial promotion. Restaurants don’tserve nun chai, for instance. Also, many traditional recipes of Kashmirare being abandoned for more global cuisines.

2.13 Kashmiri artists and other cultural holders are not experimentingwith new formats, such as digital mediums, to reach wider audiences via

television and internet. Also, Kashmiri artists are not addressingcontemporary issues in their work – therefore, they are becomingirrelevant and lose audiences.

2.14 Our attitudes are accelerating the decline of Kashmiri culture. Forexample, traditional cultural practices are looked upon as outdated or assomething belonging to the past.

2.15 Kashmiri history is not taught in schools, which directly affects ourcultural preservation and sense of identity. There are not enough privateefforts to create learning resources on Kashmiri history or to archive andpreserve traditional knowledge.

2.16 We lack knowledge of traditional daleels. There is no effort topreserve or promote this indigenous repository of knowledge and

traditions.

2.17 The decline of cultural traditions like Ladisha has also led to adecline in other traditions, since the very purpose of Ladisha is to raiseawareness and highlight what is wrong with our society, albeit in asatirical way. There is no effort to innovate this tradition so that it canreach younger audiences.




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2.18 The modern way of life has made time a very precious commodity.Therefore, even for those of us who want to learn about their culture,there isn’t enough time to do it.

2.19 As a society, we have a materialistic approach to things. Culture isnot seen as a lucrative sector. As a society, we must put a check on thecurrent tendency to value only material things. We must place highvalue on our tangible and non-tangible cultural assets.

2.20 Globalisation offers us an opportunity to export Kashmiri culture andshare our unique traditions with other cultures. Unfortunately, we are

only importing from other cultures. There is a sense of passivenessamong many youth about our culture.

2.21 Much of our popular music is not in Kashmiri, and therefore, manyyoung people do not know any Kashmiri songs. Without losing itsessence, Kashmiri music needs to be innovated towards new audiencesand should not remain static.

2.22 There is not enough governmental, private sector and communitysupport for the promotion of Kashmiri culture and patronage of Kashmiri arts.

2.23 We do not have self-discipline, or a work-life balance, which is whywe do not have the time to pursue cultural activities.

2.24 Our culture is not flexible; we have made it rigid, and aren’t makingenough efforts to make it adaptable. No initiatives are being taken withrespect to innovation in Kashmiri music; as a result, it is not verypleasing or attractive for the new generation. Kashmiri artist do notexperiment to popularize Kashmiri music.

2.25 Something that particularly hinders innovation in culture isconservatism.




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2.26 Some of us are uncomfortable with cultural expression; itembarrasses us. This is especially true because of globalisation. Some of us just don’t care about culture.

2.27 Cultural attire is not permitted in corporate offices, other workplaces,and during interviews, etc.

2.28 Our artists and artisans feel extremely discouraged, as they receivescant respect and too little remuneration for their creations or trade; thismay cause our culture to die out altogether.

2.29 One of the leading causes for our loss of identity is that we are notfree enough to express ourselves as Kashmiris; the moment we arerecognised as Kashmiris, we immediately come under a cloud of suspicion and stereotype. We need to prove our identity and bonafides,often to persons who don’t speak our language, and have to conversewith them in their language or in English.

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The conflict and political instability in Kashmir have affected ourculture negatively. So many other problems exist in the valley, thatculture takes a backseat and does not get priority.

2.31 The conflict causes people to leave, and outside, many Kashmirisdon't want others to know that they belong to Kashmir because they faceprejudice and stereotypes.

2.32 As our spiritual and cultural identities are deeply entwined, spiritualignorance often translates into cultural unawareness.

2.33 The necessity of globalisation is often used as an excuse, for whycultural expression may not always be possible. The truth is thatglobalisation is an important tool, which can be used to promote culturalexpression. Kashmiri culture could participate in cross-culturalexchanges and get highlighted across the globe. Unfortunately, peoplehave a tendency to avoid these new avenues of cultural promotion.




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2.34 There is a lack of innovation on our part, with respect to culture,which is why we have let something like the kangri, for instance, fade

into irrelevance in the face of modern living.

2.35 We are careless and complacent; we think of culture as perpetual,and think that it will endure, irrespective of anyone or anything.

2.36 We take short cuts, like in the case of fake saffron, which result inthe destruction of cultural representation.

2.37 We don’t have the requisite knowledge of the international marketthat would enable us to market our indigenous products effectively.

2.38 Our ‘modernisation’ is superficial; we do nothing to develop strongeconomic foundations and technological achievements.

2.39 With respect to our architecture, since people have limited economic

resources, they can no longer afford to build houses in our traditionalstyle. This translates into a grave threat to our architecture.

2.40 Our water bodies are getting polluted. This is our failure as a societyand because the concerned authorities and departments are not doingtheir job effectively.

2.41 There is a general lack of environmental consciousness in Kashmir.

We assume that the government is responsible for everything and wedon’t take enough responsibility. There is also a lack of public educationand awareness about environmental hazards.

2.42 We have no institutions dedicated specifically to teaching theKashmiri language, and not enough importance is attached to it at thestate level.




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2.43 Speaking Kashmiri is complex. The Kashmiri language is difficult tolearn if you have not adopted it at a young age. Further, even for peoplewho can speak Kashmiri, most cannot read or write it.

2.44 The introduction of new languages, in the family and schools, issidelining Kashmiri language. The education system does not encouragethe Kashmiri language enough, and the state government is not doingenough about it. In schools, the third language is Hindi, and notKashmiri.

2.45 Our elders often speak of the importance of preserving the Kashmiri

language, but seldom practise what they preach. Parents teach their kidsto speak in other languages, so that they get admitted into good schools.

2.46 There is a general lack of confidence in speaking Kashmiri, on thepart of those who know the language partially.

2.47 There is hypocrisy in us when it comes to culture. We talk of

preserving our culture, but seldom do we act upon our words. Manydiscussions about preserving the Kashmiri language are had whileconversing in English. Kashmiri language must be used as part of thesolution.

2.48 Another reason as to why the Kashmiri language and culture areunder decline is the mobility of Kashmiris: when they go abroad, theytoo often neglect Kashmiri language and culture.

2.49 Kashmiri language and culture is being eclipsed by influences fromother cultures. Mass media and globalisation is playing a major role. Wenow watch satellite and cable TV, which does not properly represent ourtraditional culture. There’s just one Kashmiri language channel, whoseprograms are uninteresting, which no one wants to watch.

2.50 We don’t take people who speak in Kashmiri seriously. We ratherlook down upon them. This is a colonial legacy.




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2.51 Also, the danger to the Kashmiri language also has to do with whatis considered ‘fashionable’; it is thought of as more trendy to speak in

English or Urdu than in Kashmiri.

III. QUADRANT THREE: APPROACHES

3.1 One generation of Kashmiris must pass on cultural nuances andpractices to successive generations. We must approach our elders to learnour culture, including various art forms and traditions.

3.2 It is we who are responsible for protecting our culture and it is wewho have to take initiative in preserving it.

3.3 We must use modern technology to promote our cultural heritage.For instance, we could manufacture t-shirts with quotes in Kashmiri thatinspire pride in being Kashmiri.

3.4 Traditional Kashmiri architecture has been scientifically proven tobe earthquake proof. For this reason and for its aesthetic value, it must berevived and integrated into modern construction.

3.5 We need to improvise our traditional techniques with respect to artand architecture, so as to adapt to changing times. Unnecessarymodernisation however, leads to a loss of culture. We must know where

to draw the line and find a balance between old and new.

3.6 We would do well to learn from other communities who have foundways to revive and preserve their culture.

3.7 We must retain our cultural values and identity even when we traveloutside and settle outside Kashmir.

3.8 Kashmiri Sufiyana music must be protected and promoted.




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3.9 We must intensify our efforts to save the Jhelum and other waterbodies.

3.10 The state must take some responsibility for addressing the presentdecline in Kashmiri culture.

3.11 Awareness is required with respect to why culture is required in thefirst place; this can be done through digital and possibly other media.

3.12 Disconnected and redundant efforts will not help. We all must follow

the Kashmiri proverb, ‘ Akh Tae Akh Gae Kaah’ – a slogan adopted byMercy Corps Kashmir as its guiding principle – in letter and spirit. Wemust all join hands and work collectively and productively to promoteand preserve our culture.

3.13 Elements of our culture perhaps need to be modified, so as tomaintain their relevance among modern generations. Cultural expression

and symbols are bound to change, and we should not panic about it.Cultural practices and traditions also need to be marketed innovatively.For instance, Harissa and Tsoechwaru can be branded as Kashmiri fastfood.

3.14 We must try to make our literature and art more interesting andrelevant to contemporary reality, and try to translate it for people whodon’t understand our culture and literature.

3.15 There must be a door-to-door awareness campaign, giving peopledata, and the views of respected experts on language and culturalheritage.

3.16 The media must play an active role in reviving and promoting theKashmiri language.




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3.17 Our social set-up, and traditional ways in which our socialrelationships used to function, must also be revived. For instance, wemust strengthen Mohalla Committees to try and amicably resolve civic

disputes, instead of taking them to court.

3.18 We must try to revive traditional Kashmiri games such as Saz Long.

3.19 Movies, dramas and television serials on Kashmiri history must bepromoted.

3.20 Books on Kashmiri history must be available in schools, colleges

and public libraries. Private libraries and online resources on cultureshould be developed and be made easily accessible.

3.21 We must preserve the quality of our handicrafts.

3.22 The Chinar is an integral part of our culture and heritage; any effortat reviving them must always focus on the preservation of the Chinar .

3.23 Our traditional moral values and Kashmiri ethos needs to berediscovered and needs to be emphasised and revived.

3.24 We must strive to remove social disparities from our society.

3.25 Cultural activities, that promote Kashmiri folk-art and history, mustbe conducted. We can also promote our culture by having Kashmiri

souvenirs available to outsiders.

3.26 Kashmiri history can be presented in the form of a narrative, whichis an interesting way to make it more popular.

3.27 We must develop a sense of belonging towards our culture, and thusneed to inculcate in ourselves, a curiosity as to what our culture is allabout. In this regard, an individual effort is also needed.




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3.28 The corporate world must promote Kashmiri culture on festivals,events and other occasions.

3.29 We may consider having comic books that reflect our culturalvalues, and heroic stories of our culture. We can also have cartoons inKashmiri so that children are aware of our language and culture rightfrom the very childhood.

3.30 More exhibitions of art and craft must be organised for the benefit of Kashmiri artisans.

3.31 What we need to preserve is the basic essence of our culture;absorbing new words into Kashmiri will only serve to enrich ourlanguage. Using new tools and formats to purvey our culture will alsohelp.

3.32 Kashmiri language must be given equal importance, at par with otherlanguages. In addition to making its study compulsory, we must generate

interest in the study of Kashmiri. That way people will take moreownership over its learning.

3.33 The learning and promotion of the Kashmiri language and culturemust be incentivised – at home, schools and colleges.

3.34 Kashmiri women should be encouraged to speak in Kashmiri withtheir kids, since “a mother is the first teacher of a child.”

3.35 We need more magazines in Kashmiri, to ensure survival of thelanguage.

3.36 We must introduce and encourage Kashmiri literary activities. Theremust also be seminars and debates in the Kashmiri language.




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3.37 We must try to popularise and improve Kashmiri music and art.Kashmiri poetry must be promoted. We must use Kashmiri proverbs andapply their teachings to daily life.

3.38 Kashmiri plays and songs can help revive the Kashmiri language.

3.39 Events like One Young Kashmir are the need of the hour.Workshops and seminars must be held for those among us who lagbehind in their knowledge about the Kashmiri language.

3.40 There must be a Kashmiri dress-code at public functions, and

conferences must be conducted in Kashmiri language.

3.41 If we speak our language, the world will also recognise its value, andKashmiri can then even be translated into many other languages.

3.42 Kashmiri songs must be promoted at the international level.

IV. QUADRANT FOUR: ACTION IDEAS

4.1 We must actively learn from our grandparents and parents aboutKashmiri history, traditions and values.

4.2 We must start and observe an annual ‘Kashmiri Cultural HistoryDay’.

4.3 We must organize “Kashmiri Cultural Awareness Camps” –educational institutions can play an active role.

4.4 We must organize art exhibitions and activities to promoteawareness of Kashmiri history.

4.5 We must regularly feature Ladi Shah at seminars and gatherings.




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4.6 We must advocate for protection of heritage sites ensuring that strictaction is taken against people vandalizing heritage structures.

4.7 We must organize plantation drives organised by students.

4.8 The law must be enforced strictly against timber smugglers.

4.9 There must be a ban on using polythene and it must be strictlyenforced. Instead, we should all try to use jute bags and otheralternatives.

4.10 There must be a recycling process introduced by the government, sothat we can limit the waste that we produce. Youth should considerestablishing recycling businesses.

4.11 We must vow not to give or receive bribes. We must launch anadvocacy campaign against corruption. The government must take strictaction against people who give and receive bribes.

4.12 Interaction within families is the best way of learning how to speak Kashmiri. Parents must encourage their children, making them curiousabout their culture, and not discourage them. We must all speak with ourfriends and acquaintances in Kashmiri.

4.13 The government must ensure the revival of radio and TV programslike ‘Zun Dab’, etc. Excellence-oriented mass-media expression of

culture, folk-art, dance forms, etc., must also be promoted, to make themmore appealing to youth. For instance, the privatisation of local mediachannels along the lines of Star Bangla, Zee Telugu, etc., would help.

4.14 The wages of Kashmiri artisans must be increased so that their artdoesn’t die, and so that our culture is promoted and protected. Fair Tradeapproaches should be introduced.




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4.15 We must buy from Kashmiri artisans, and promote our crafts amongour non-Kashmiri friend circle.

4.16 Kashmiri fabrics could be used to stitch caps and mufflers, so thatwe could wear those instead of branded merchandise. This wouldencourage self-reliance.

4.17 New marketing methods should be used to promote cultural attireand encourage well-known dress designers to use Kashmiri fabrics andpatterns in their clothes.

4.18 We must use Kashmiri as our language of interaction in schools.

4.19 We must feel proud while dressing in Kashmiri attire; we must alsoalways be respectful towards people who speak in Kashmiri.

4.20 We must start interactions on Facebook and other social networkingsites, quoting quotes of Kashmiri poets, translating them for non-

Kashmiris.

4.21 Kashmiri literature must be translated into other languages, and viceversa.

4.22 Awareness programmes on environmental degradation must beconducted and we must promote practical ways for people to live eco-friendly lives.

4.23 We must plant more Chinar trees, and also encourage other to dosame, since Chinars are a very important part of our Heritage.

4.24 We must keep a check on extravagance – particularly at marriages –at the individual and community levels. We could also campaign forausterity measures to check extravagance.




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4.25 We must raise awareness about Kashmiri heritage in a fun way,through mediums such as school magazines, almanacs, leaflets,pamphlets, etc. School children must be given project-work related to

Kashmiri culture and history.

4.26 Cultural entrepreneurship—for instance promoting saffronproduction and handicrafts—will prosper if there are better financingoptions. The promotion of indigenous Kashmiri crops and better trainingand entrepreneurial skills for farmers, artisans, etc. will help in revivinglocal crops and goods.

4.27 Using new technology and fusion of music with a youthful touchwill help reinvigorate Kashmiri music.

4.28 We must ask our elders, consult history books, search the Internet,etc. and make a concerted effort to know our history.

4.29 We must organise cultural events on Eid and other festivals. Stage-

shows must also be organised on a large scale showcasing rich Kashmiritraditions.

4.30 We must all use social networking sites to promote Kashmiri culture.We must, for instance, ‘like’ Facebook pages on Kashmiri culture, postand share videos about Kashmiri cultural heritage and create emailforwards of Ladisha and other videos and articles on culture. This wouldensure greater levels of cultural awareness among youth.

4.31 The Kashmiri language must be taught, in both primary schools andin colleges. Studying the Kashmiri language must be made compulsoryfrom Nursery to the 10+2 level. Further, Kashmiri must be prioritizedover Urdu; the government must also establish an institute dedicated tothe study and promotion of the Kashmiri language. Existing forumspromoting Kashmiri language and literature should be supported andprivate institutes should be established for the same purpose.




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4.32 We must encourage people to speak in Kashmiri by speaking itourselves. We must also use and discuss Kashmiri proverbs with ourparents and grandparents.

4.33 We must organize an advocacy campaign seeking that all publicsignboards should be in Kashmiri apart from being in English. These bi-lingual signboards can go a long way in promoting the Kashmirilanguage.

4.34 We can press for the government to protect Kashmiri art and craft asintellectual property. Young lawyers should work towards this end.

4.35 Private schools can put knowledge of Kashmiri language as a criteriafor selecting students and make it part of the interview process.

4.36 The best way of preserving the Kashmiri language is making it themedium of instruction in schools.

4.37

Teaching Kashmiri history, proverbs and poetry—particularly of Sheikh-ul-Alam—must be made mandatory as part of a Kashmir culturalcurriculum in schools.

4.38 More newspapers must be published in Kashmiri and more bookswritten in Kashmiri.

4.39 Universities and colleges must encourage research in Kashmiri and

teaching Kashmiri.




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ISSUE II: RIGHTS

The following is a background/briefing paper on the issue of Rights that was

prepared by the OYK youth organizers in advance of the problem-solving

discussions that took place during the OYK Summit. This


the conversation.

Strategic Ways of Generating Rights Awareness and Effective Means of

Expression And Assertion Of Opinions

Throughout Kashmir’s turbulent past, its youth have yearned for a voice, aplatform upon which to assert their views, their convictions and thoughts.Their voice has refused to be bogged down, even though youth have not hadan effective say in any affair or decision that affects their lives. The need foran effective youth voice has been discussed, its importance recognized, but aconcrete roadmap to achieve the same has seldom been debated.

We, at One Young Kashmir, realize the significance of providing youngKashmiri men and women, an opportunity, a platform where they canexpress themselves uninhibitedly. Everyone has an opinion, and youth as thefuture of society, need a safe space for addressing issues. With this in mind,One Young Kashmir felt that we must take an initiative for providing thatimportant youth space, along with an effective, result-oriented process, forbetter results.

Rights is, quite understandably, a key issue, the importance of which cannotbe stressed enough. This holds true since we live in a conflict zone. Toencapsulate this idea into a theme, the One Young Kashmir team chose whatwe thought was an extremely relevant problem to solve, as a positiveoutcome here would be critical. Following intense deliberations, we felt thatone problem which needs to be addressed on priority is: ''Strategic ways of

generating rights awareness and Effective means of expression and

assertion of opinions''




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Generating very specific awareness about the rather broad topic of rights isvery essential, and we at OYK, feel that it is absolutely necessary, given thatinjustice and denial of rights is a common occurrence. How can young

people first learn about their rights, advocate for those rights and thenexercise those rights with full responsibility? This question thus needs to beaddressed concertedly today. Domestic and international laws haveenshrined in them, numerous provisions that guarantee us the right to freespeech and unhampered expression, and it is very important that youthexpress their innermost concerns and misgivings about an environment thatis often perceived of as intolerant of youth opinion. We feel that youth musthave a say; a powerful voice that will affect decision-making and the path

our society takes. That is what we aim at today: recognizing the problem,analyzing its nature, debating upon approaches and framing a set of actionpoints and recommendations to effectively address it.




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RIGHTS

Strategic Ways of Generating Rights Awareness and Effective Means of Expression And Assertion Of Opinions


1.1 There is no serious process of dialogue or negotiation to resolve theconflict with a vision to safeguard the individual and collective

rights of the people of Kashmir.1.2 Political instability in Kashmir is a major problem as it weakens

society.

1.3 There is an alarming lack of basic awareness about fundamentalhuman rights in our society, particularly among the youthcommunity.

1.4 Youth expressions and youth voices are often stifled in Kashmir andyouth do not fully enjoy the freedom of speech and expression.

1.5 With rights come responsibilities. There is also lack of awarenessabout our responsibilities in society.

1.6 More space should be given for dissenting opinions and diverseviews are not tolerated enough.

1.7 Human rights violations are a serious problem. There is a lack of effective judicial review and the governmental system does notfunction effectively to safeguard peoples’ rights.

1.8 Less attention is paid to the social issues in Kashmir. The conflicthas degraded our moral values and has increased selfishness.

1.9 There exists a trust deficit between the government and the people.Promises made to us have remained unfulfilled.




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1.10 Hartals /strikes, as a form of protest, cannot be sustained forlong and cause great difficulty to people. Creative and effectivemethods of voicing dissent are lacking.

1.11 Social and economic inequality is widespread in Kashmir.


2.1 The conflict is the major cause of the denial of our rights and itssolution is interlinked with the realization of our rights.

2.2 Youth have a limited role in decision-making processes on thevarious issues that affect and concern us.

2.3 There is arrogance, insensitivity and stubbornness on the part of allstakeholders. The sanctity and value of human life is not respected inKashmir.

2.4 The lack of a concerted strategy and effort to protect peoples’ rights– particularly the freedom of expression – is problematic. We shyaway from opportunities to engage in a real debate on how best toraise our voice including the pros and cons of various methods.Instead, when issues and emotions arise we again raise our voicesthrough ineffective means.

2.5 The Kashmir conflict—and the interference of different groups in the

effective implementation of peoples’ rights – are the main reasonsfor the stifling of youth voices, and for the denial of peoples’ rights.

2.6 There are insufficient initiatives to increase rights awareness inKashmir.

2.7 Political instability and lack of awareness about our rights are

important reasons for their denial. The government is not always toblame.




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2.8 The focus of talks and policies is always territory and never thepeople - our needs and aspirations are ignored.

2.9 The political issue of Kashmir is in focus only when something badoccurs or when people come out onto the streets. It is not discussedin comprehensive and sustained ways so that it can be resolved andpeople can move on to pursue a bright future. There is a lack of willon all sides to address this issue once and for all.

2.10 We always look outwards and unrealistically expect outside

powers (UN, etc.) to address the political issues of Kashmir. Weshould take on more responsibility and should ourselves fully engagein efforts and processes to resolve this issue.

2.11 There is also denial of justice in Kashmir. The judiciary isweak and not completely independent. Justice delivery is very slow.Public Interest Litigations are rejected without merit; most people do

not even want to learn about rights because of the perceivedweakness of the judiciary. The repeated imposition of preventivedetention laws on a person goes against the concept of due process.

2.12 The conflict itself has hampered rights protection; thegovernment and the people are more engrossed in the conflict andless concerned about safeguarding rights.

2.13 There is also ever-present in peoples’ minds, a fear of repression and retribution from different quarters. There is limitedspace for dissent.

2.14 When we express ourselves, it does not count for making anysort of change. Our statements do not matter and youth are not takenseriously enough.




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2.15 There is presently a complete crisis of leadership in Kashmir,and no person can claim to represent even a majority of the people.This confusion disempowers society and prevents effective efforts to

safeguard our rights.

2.16 Competent and sincere people from within our society areunwilling to come forward and take up the issue of people’s rights.

2.17 The government seems reluctant to address our problems andhas been reluctant to let us express ourselves.

2.18 Kashmiri youth are stereotyped and there is a deliberateattempt to deny our right to be heard. The national media routinelymisrepresents the situation in Kashmir.

2.19 The state repeatedly uses disproportionate, unnecessary,unlawful and lethal force while dealing with protests. The state isalso accountable to the law. There has been no serious effort or

public process to review these incidents and to hold those officialsfound guilty of abuse of power accountable.

2.20 Kashmir-related coverage in the media is often biased anddoes not accurately cover incidents of human rights abuses.

2.21 The government often denies the media its rights. Whenevermedia tries to highlight rights violations, it is put down. Also, people

hesitate in speaking to the media on rights issues out of fear of persecution.

2.22 There is a deliberate delay and a lack of concerted effort toresolve the Kashmir issue. The key actors and decision-makers areunwilling to think outside of the box and seem to have a materialstake in continuing the conflict.




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2.23 There is a heavy and over-bearing presence of armed forcesin Kashmir.

2.24 There are chaotic and undemocratic means of protest. Weseem to portray our opinions only through stones.

2.25 We are barred from protesting. We can’t protest on socialnetworking sites and public forums. Children are booked forprotesting. Gatherings are targeted. We feel our ways of protestingare questioned no matter how we do it.

2.26 Too much impunity is enjoyed by the armed forces underlaws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the PublicSafety Act and the Disturbed Areas Act, and there is a total lack of accountability for their actions. They routinely misuse the powersconferred upon them and do not respect the rights of the people of Kashmir.

2.27

There is a serious lack of flow of accurate information inKashmir. State records continue to remain largely inaccessible to thepublic, as the Right to Information Act is very weakly implementedin Kashmir.

2.28 Corruption has been almost institutionalised in governmentdepartments and the government is unable to curb it. Nepotism isparticularly common. Corruption has taken deep root in our society

and is a major barrier to realizing our rights.

2.29 There is largely an absence of forums that allow people todiscuss, debate and learn about their rights – basically expressthemselves freely – so that they may then be understood andimplemented effectively.

2.30 There is a serious lack of communication between people andtheir social and political representatives.




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2.31 The government has largely failed to curb the growinginstances of human rights violations in the valley.

2.32 Different groups often exploit young people in Kashmir.Young people see violence and turmoil as a natural part of everydaylife.

2.33 There is a lack of inter-community exchange of ideas inKashmir; of joint efforts to identify and demand rights. Civil societyis disorganized and does not effectively engage youth in decision-

making.

2.34 International bodies—including rights groups—rarely everintervene publicly with respect to Kashmir.

2.35 There’s inequality in the present system in Kashmiri society.It’s the ‘have-nots’ that protest about violations; the ‘haves’ are

conspicuous by their silence. Elite exploitation of youth is prevalent.

2.36 There is also callousness on our part; we do not protest longenough or well enough to make an impact. We are more luxury-loving, and love our comfort too much. We do not take a determinedand sustained stand and therefore our demands for safeguarding of rights are not taken seriously.

2.37 We have also developed a victim mentality; we feeloverpowered and live constantly with this persecuted frame of mind.People have gone through terrible experiences, and that inevitablyshapes their perceptions.

2.38 Something that directly hampers our freedom of expression isfrequent imposition of curfew, shoot-at-sight orders and/or Section144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. In such situations, evenambulances are not allowed to ply.




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2.39 People are largely ignorant about the Kashmir conflict at boththe national and international levels. We do not know our history

well, and the legal and constitutional aspects of the conflict. Thisleads us to developing misinformed and emotional opinions aboutthe conflict.

2.40 Many children do not have the right to education in Kashmir.Even such education as we do receive is superficial, failing toinculcate in us, a sense of responsible, individual thinking. The lack of education also contributes to rights ignorance. There are no

courses where we can learn of human rights at the primary level.Lack of awareness about the Kashmir issue is also a problem. Theconflict affects every aspect of our life yet there is no propereducation about it.

2.41 People need not to be self-centred; they usually first think about themselves, and only then about the interests of larger society.

2.42 There exists a deviation from the primary issues facing thestate. Our social and political discourse is full of jingoism and lackssubstance.

2.43 There is an absence of good governance in Kashmirprovince, and this serves to complicate issues.

2.44 There is among us a lack of both social consciousness, andself-confidence that we can bring about real change to our situation;we aren’t committed, we are materialistic, and yet we look forpolitical causes in everything. We talk big and raise our viewsemotionally, yet we don’t act.

2.45 Everybody is focused on shortcuts; nobody wants to take aserious and sustained approach to demanding and realizing ourrights.




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2.46 We also lack unity among us, since different people havedifferent views and priorities. We protest in a way that harms us: half

the society protests and the other half just sits back and watches. Weneed to evolve consensus about issues in society and prioritize themfirst.

2.47 There is a lack counselling centres for people suffering fromdiseases such as depression, stress, trauma, etc. There are hundredsof cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD) in every part of the valley. The victims of trauma and rights abuses are least

empowered to seek justice.

2.48 The problems of the people in Kashmir are unheard andunreported. Youth have limited platforms to express their views.

2.49 Kashmiri society largely lacks an effective intellectual class.

2.50

Frequent hartals /strikes wreak havoc on an individual’spsyche, disrupt the work process and affect the economy. This hartalculture is lazy and does not empower us.

2.51 Though we have rights, their implementation is very weak.

2.52 There is a serious dearth of juvenile courts/juvenile homes toimplement juvenile justice in Kashmir. Going through the adult

justice system serves to harden stances among juveniles in Kashmir.

2.53 Rights are always compromised at the altar of security.Kashmir is always seen through the security prism.

2.54 The government has placed severe restrictions on ourmobility, and on our communications; a case in point is the ban ontext-messaging or SMS.




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2.55 Promises made by the government to the people, especiallywith regards to investigating injustices, are rarely fulfilled.

2.56 Kashmiri society is patriarchal and men take all thedecisions.

2.57 Women’s rights have been compromised; many women areharassed for dowry, subjected to domestic violence, and lack accessto basic healthcare. Women have also greatly suffered in the conflict,directly and indirectly, having been raped, orphaned, widowed, andhalf-widowed; they are harassed by the armed forces. Women’s

rights in Kashmir are violated in the name of religion, politics,culture and family commitment.

2.58 We do not have power over our own resources, like ourrivers, forests, etc.

2.59 Disabled persons are discriminated against in Kashmir; there

is a taboo against them in our society.

2.60 The power situation in Kashmir is appalling. We faceunscheduled power-cuts, despite the fact that our power resourcesare immense and we export power to other states.

2.61 There is a lack of basic infrastructure in Kashmir, as themoney available is invested in wrong areas; road-connectivity is

abysmal.

2.62 There is a serious lack of knowledge about the political statusof Kashmir.

2.63 There is a serious lack of environmental knowledge inKashmir and therefore our environmental rights are not sought.




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2.64 We only selfishly agitate for our rights, and completelyforget our duties. We never consider the rights of others. We neversupport each other in fighting for our rights, especially since we

don’t want to get into trouble. We lack the love and unity we need inour society.

2.65 Some unemployed youth protest only for fun. This is wrongand has nothing to do with a rights struggle.

2.66 The first priority of the people is the protection of their livesand those of their families; thinking of rights comes much later.

2.67 Our land and other property are under the direct control of the various armed forces.

2.68 The influence of militants poses a threat if we try to raise ourvoice about our rights.

2.69

We are creating fear and insecurity among tourists who cometo visit the place. In pursuing our rights and protesting againstinjustice, we should not weaken our economy.

2.70 We have a negative attitude, are indecisive and tend to getswayed. We haven’t been able to form one voice. There aredifferences of opinion and our opinions and views are inconsistent.

2.71 When everything is peaceful and calm, no one is botheredabout rights; we don’t respect laws, or follow them. It’s only whensomething untoward happens, we are reminded of rights.

2.72 There is a huge gulf between the formulation andimplementation of laws.




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2.73 The recommendations of the State Human RightsCommission and of organisations such as Amnesty International arenot followed up or taken seriously.

2.74 Some human rights organizations and activists exaggerate ormanipulate the facts for political agendas – this weakens efforts toadvocate for justice and protection of rights.

2.75 People protest and take to streets because they arediscriminated against.

2.76 We lack a professional intelligentsia that is truly committedto the public good. Our intelligentsia is self-serving and is not a forcefor reform.

2.77 Since people assert their rights towards the fulfilment of contradictory causes, it serves to hamper the fulfilment of theirrights. We indulge in double-speak.

2.78 There are unhealthy levels of suspicion and cynicism amongKashmiris. We don’t have opinions of our own. We repeat borrowedideas and are indirectly exploited in this way. We cheat our ownpeople, and don’t bother to act. There is lack of cooperation; if anyone takes an initiative, other Kashmiris doubt intentions and donot cooperate with them. There is lack of connectivity amongpeople, and our civil society is weak.


3.1 The Kashmir issue must be resolved peacefully and as per theaspirations of Kashmiri people. In this regard, a constructive atmosphereconducive to resolution of the issue must be created. It must be the onewhere peace, freedom and rights are respected.




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3.2 The conflict must end so we will have the environment to exerciseour basic rights.

3.3 The dialogue process between India, Pakistan and the Kashmiripeople must be initiated seriously and all stakeholders involved must betaken on board. The people of India have to involve the people of Kashmir in the resolution process and fully respect their opinion.

3.4 Basic human rights must be identified and their importancerecognised, and proper methods must be employed to disseminateinformation about these rights among people, especially at the grassroots

level. We need to know the basic definitions of rights. People must makeevery effort to know their rights.

3.5 Gap between formulation and implementation of law must bereduced.

3.6 The government must not compromise our rights for purposes of

security. The government should think about the peoples’ welfare only,and must ensure that there is an end to all human rights violations inKashmir.

3.7 The government must make genuine efforts to know the genuineconcerns of people.

3.8 One should be free to move/speak according to his/her wishes, as

long as it’s not in contradiction with anybody else’s rights. Also, theremust be more programmes like this so that we can discuss our problemsand develop solutions.

3.9 We must educate ourselves and commit ourselves to universal rightsand to fulfilling our responsibilities to society.




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3.10 If we believe in something, we must have the courage to takecriticism and peoples’ opinions about what we say. If we succumb tocriticism, we can never pitch for our rights.

3.11 Civil society should be aware of people’s rights; it must also beconscious and active, so as to avoid exploitation at the hands of thegovernment or any other agenda. We should organize effectively andcreate rights-awareness locally.

3.12 We must practice what we preach.

3.13 People must be informed, educated and apprised of rights that aperson can enjoy under human rights conventions and treaties, and wemust exercise all our rights.

3.14 Every right has a corresponding duty; we must perform our duties.That is one way of safeguarding our rights as well as the rights of otherpeople.

3.15 We have to decide what we actually want; youth must be clearabout their goals and interests.

3.16 We must protest killings by militants the same way as we do whenthe army is involved.

3.17 Youth must participate more and more in political, social and

economic activities.

3.18 There must be complete accountability and transparency ingovernment and other institutions, and corruption must be stamped outcompletely. However, we must be primarily accountable to ourselves;people at every level must take a strong stand against corruption.

3.19 Everybody must have the right to speak his or her mind, even if going against the grain. We must unlearn criticizing everyone and




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everything; unlearn our name-calling, and must learn to have respect foreveryone, no matter their ideology; we need to respect ourselves first,and only then will people respect us. Self-respect is important.

3.20 Youth represent a change and a break from the past. We must assertourselves actively in the process of resolving the Kashmir conflict. Wemust not be dumb-driven and must not allow insincere and incompetentpeople to keep Kashmir stuck in endless conflict.

3.21 Women should be respected, and treated as equal members of society. They must be made part of any solution.

3.22 There should be no child labour in Kashmir. All the children have aright to education. Those who force children into labour need should bebought to book.

3.23 We can highlight the plight of our people through surveys,socialising, and through platforms that have a reach anywhere in the

world.

3.24 We must be self-sufficient. We must also learn to say “no”.

3.25 We cannot blame the government for everything; we must takepains, make an effort to change ourselves and people around us to builda better Kashmir. We must practice what we teach and think; try to findunderlying reasons for everything. We must stay updated, must develop

our curiosity and build a positive attitude. We must also always behumble and hospitable. The role of parents in all of this is veryimportant, but ultimately youth have to stand up and take responsibility.

3.26 Kashmir’s economic resources must be identified, they must beplaced under the full control of the people of Kashmir and a mechanismthat allows them to be utilised in a sustainable manner must be devised.




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3.27 There must be improved governance, along with effectivecommunication between leaders and the common people.

3.28 Governmental records must be made easily accessible to commonpeople. Right to Information must be implemented.

3.29 There must be an end to the exploitation of youth at all levels.

3.30 Existing laws, governing the basic rights of the people of Kashmir,must be strengthened, to include more provisions to safeguard peoples’rights. Collective rights must also be strengthened.

3.31 There must be equal opportunities for all youth in getting jobs, sothat they may improve the socio-political and economic position of thevalley.

3.32 Forums and institutions, giving more space to youth, must beestablished. Platforms such as student unions must be encouraged, so

that youth can voice their concerns.

3.33 Educational and other skill-development institutions must beestablished in Kashmir. We must have quality education and other basicfacilities.

3.34 The right to education should not be limited to studying justanything; students must have the right to choose their field of study

without pressure from their parents or other people. Everybody shouldbe given a good education in accordance with global standards.Government schools and colleges should provide quality education.

3.35 We need a representative, effective leadership urgently.

3.36 We must have the right to raise our concerns through any medium,be it Facebook, SMS, or anything else. We can also use new media to




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effectively communicate with other people, to clear their misconceptionsabout Kashmir and Kashmiris.

3.37 We must have the right to express any little thought or idea thatcomes to our mind. This is essential to our overall personalitydevelopment.

3.38 We must find viable alternatives to express ourselves, without fearof being held guilty for no fault of ours, such as advocacy campaigns,rallies, etc.

3.39 We must first deeply think about what we believe in; what ourideology is; why it must be so, etc. Only then must we start strugglingfor it.

3.40 We must develop cross-societal consensus.

3.41 We must ensure that our voices reach the international community.

In this regard, all Kashmiris must always project a united front.

3.42 We must also fight for other rights, such as the right to have properlaboratories, libraries, sanitary facilities, infrastructure, etc.

3.43 The media and the judiciary in Kashmir must be completely freeand totally immune from external influence, including governmentinfluence.

3.44 We must express our problems through the media. More Kashmirismust join the media and excel in it, so that they are heard.

3.45 Justice must be delivered speedily for victims of human rightsviolations.

3.46 Democracy must be implemented in letter and spirit in Kashmir.




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3.47 Our medium of communication must be one that everyone iscomfortable using.

3.48 Our leaders must follow a clear vision, policy and pattern. Theyhave a lot to think about: there are moral responsibilities on theirshoulders. They must consider each and every perspective.

3.49 We need counselling; everyone has a passion, but there is no one toguide him/her towards the right path; whether to carry on with his/herpassion or not.

3.50 People in the valley must take up greater responsibility withenthusiasm. We must work both individually and collectively to makeKashmir better.

3.51 Youth must make strategies and plans to guide our leadership.

3.52 We should seek justice for those innocents who are behind bars.

3.53 People in Kashmir must learn to speak minus their politicalaffiliations.

3.54 We must start from ourselves: what are the rights of ourneighbours, parents, etc. from us?

3.55 We must work for peace. It’s difficult to secure rights for everyone

unless there is peace. Whatever we demand must be feasible and viable,and not just rhetorical.

3.56 Kashmiris are compromising on many fronts. We must be criticalof this and question it. We must form an intellectual forum; Kashmiriyouth must be part of the system so as to change it, and not so as tomerge with it.




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3.57 We must bridge the gap between communities; we must activelyseek to bring Ladakhis, Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims together and act asone state.


4.1 The government must take an initiative to release all detained youth,and put an end to the crackdown that has been launched against them.

4.2 All concerned parties must identify the Kashmir problem as political.We must have patience.

4.3 Representatives of Kashmiri people have to be included whileseeking any solution to the long-standing Kashmir issue. We mustchoose our leaders carefully. Dialogue between all stakeholders mustbe institutionalised.

4.4 The police and other armed forces must be given only limited

powers and be held accountable. The Army must stop harassingKashmiri women.

4.5 We must be allowed to protest on issues that concern us – it is ademocratic right. No one should be injured or killed while exercisingthat right. There should be tolerance for dissent.

4.6 Draconian laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the

Public Safety Act and the Disturbed Areas Act must be immediatelyrepealed.

4.7 There must be demilitarisation in Kashmir.

4.8 We must collectively ask the government to vacate our propertiesfrom the occupation of the armed forces.




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4.9 The government’s claim of zero tolerance for human rightsviolations must be implemented in letter and spirit.

4.10 We must use Public Interest Litigations as a tool to secureour rights.

4.11 Our protests must always be peaceful and effective, i.e.focused on specific issues, demands and actions. We should promote‘e-protests’.

4.12 The government must increase economic opportunities

available to youth; we must be given control over our resources.

4.13 Existing laws that safeguard the special status of Jammu andKashmir must be safeguarded and strengthened.

4.14 Reportage of the Kashmir conflict by media must beabsolutely unbiased. Also, the government must ensure press

freedom. It must not clampdown on the rights of media. Journalistsmust be treated with respect and journalists must follow theirprofessional ethics.

4.15 Instead of creating many channels, let us create one newschannel, so that the whole world can see what goes on in Kashmir.

4.16 All youth must be treated equally; their ethno-cultural

identities must never be any sort of factor for discrimination.

4.17 Our protests must have direction, must be targeted and onspecific issues. Also, we must use innovative and non-violentmethods of protest.

4.18 The practise of stereotyping Kashmiri Muslims as ‘terrorists’must be put to an end.




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4.19 The government must always grant permission for youthactivism, the administration must facilitate people in expressing theiropinion (including dissent), and not curb it.

4.20 Also, outdoor activities are important for the unhinderedgrowth and development of children, and the same must be allowedat all times.

4.21 The government must do away with security checkscompletely, or resort to them only when totally necessary. Peoplemust be free to move around unhindered.

4.22 We should print pamphlets and distribute them in educationalinstitutions, to make students aware of their rights and duties. Wemust go to schools and colleges directly to address this problem.Educational institutions and teachers have a role to play. There mustbe special classes on rights awareness.

4.23

Counselling centres must be set-up to provide people relevantinformation about their rights. We must make full use of the Internet.

4.24 We must organise massive youth rallies.

4.25 We must use the Right to Information Act properly and makepeople aware of it. Anyone can do it, by filing an application; theinformation will be made available within days.

4.26 We must use social networking sites to make the peopleaware of their rights and duties.

4.27 The government must introduce the study of ‘human rights’into school curricula. Orientation courses in human rights must alsobe given to policemen and armed forces.




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4.28 The government must immediately lift the ban imposed onthe broadcast of news bulletins on local Kashmiri cable TV channels.Local channels must follow professional standards and ethics.

4.29 Kashmiri history and law must be taught as independentsubjects at the secondary school level itself.

4.30 Kashmiris must actively try to get into key decision-makingpositions, and conscientiously appear in large numbers in the civilservices examinations. We must excel in our professions, andunderstand that we’ll only be taken seriously when we are in strong

positions.

4.31 Rights awareness must begin at the very micro-level itself; inpeoples’ friend’s circles, in mohallas and masjids.

4.32 The government must be fast and time-efficient in deliveringbasic services - time-consuming procedures must be done away with.

That will go a long way in removing corruption.

4.33 We must hold seminars and debates and talk about rights andwhat they mean to us. We must be clear about our concepts.

4.34 We must make more documentary movies on Kashmir.

4.35 We must write columns, blogs, etc. about rights awareness.

Everyone must do their bit for making others aware and conscious of their rights and responsibilities through any media available to us.

4.36 We must not be reactionary in our approach, and must bearticulate in our communication; we must develop our writing skillsand channelise our anger and feelings.




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ISSUE III: ECONOMY AND ECONOMIC

RECOVERY

The following is a background/briefing paper on the issue of Economy that

was prepared by the OYK youth organizers in advance of the problem-

solving discussions that took place during the OYK Summit. This


the conversation.

Enabling Effective Entrepreneurship

ECONOMY: KASHMIR OVERVIEW

The people of Kashmir have been witnessing the conflict since decades,

which has had an impact on its economic development. Though there is a

huge potential for growth and development in terms of the availability of

natural resources and the entrepreneurial spirit, which may act as an engine

for development - economic policies, corruption, and the conflict are keychallenges.

At the present in Kashmir, the majority of the population is youth. Withsuch a dramatically young population, most of them being educated,Kashmir faces a serious social and economic challenge in terms of lack of employment opportunities for the youth.

The state’s physical infrastructure is crumbling and development has

become significantly dependent on central government’s grant -in- aid and

its potential revenue generating sectors and industries are not being fully

exploited and fairly administered.

(Budget 2011: 8000 cr. as special development assistance in addition to

28,000 cr. already earmarked under PM’s Reconstruction plan




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Activities of Kashmir Economy Sector wise(i) Primary Sector (ii) Secondary Sector (iii) Tertiary Sector

Agriculture,livestock

Manufacturing Transport, storagecommunication

Forestry andlogging

Construction Trade, Hotels and Restaur

Fishing Electricity, Gas and WaterSupply

Banking and Insurance

Mining andQuarrying

Real Estate, ownerdwellings, business aservices

Kashmir is mainly an agrarian based economy, agriculture and its alliedsectors contribute 27% to the SGDP, with 70% of the population directly orindirectly relying on agriculture for their livelihoods. Out of the total areaunder apple orchards in the state, 90% is concentrated in valley due tosuitable climate. With an annual turnover of over US$ 75 million, apart

from foreign exchange of over US$ 20 million, this sector is the next biggestsource of income in the state’s economy next to agriculture.

Agriculture is one of the key factors and the mainstay of the state'seconomy.

• Rice, maize and wheat are the major cereals of J&K.

• J&K is largest producer of Apple, Walnut, Almond and many other

temperate dry and fresh fruits.

• J&K holds number one position in saffron production in India, about

56.601 quintals in the year 2008-09.

• J&K is a major exporter of superior quality carpets, wooden art,

embroidered clothes and many other valuable crafts.

1 State Economic survey , 2008-09




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• 90 percent of Mushroom is canned and exported from the state.

Jammu and Kashmir’s GSDP (gross state domestic product)

As per the official statistics, contribution of the primary Sector to the

GSDP in the financial year 2009-10 is estimated at 21.10%. Likewise, the

contributions of the Secondary and Tertiary Sectors have been estimated at

29.82% and 49.08% respectively. This reflects a growth rate of 10.35% as

against 10.22% growth rate recorded last year.

Key industries in Jammu and Kashmir

Food processing and agro-based industries (excluding conventional grindingand extraction units) thrive in the state because of an excellent climate forhorticulture and floriculture. Handicrafts, being the traditional industry of the state, has been receiving priority attention of the government in view of its large employment base and exports potential. The state is famous for

some small-scale and cottage industries such as carpet weaving, silks,shawls, basketry pottery, copper and silverware, paper-machine and walnutwood.

The Question: How can Kashmir’s youth be effectively enabled to take

up entrepreneurship to drive self-employment, economic growth and self-

reliance?




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ECONOMY

Enabling Effective Entrepreneurship


1.1 Social and cultural attitudes towards youth entrepreneurship are mostlyfound to be negative.

1.2 There is a serious lack of enterprise education in Kashmir, especiallyamong Youth.

1.3 There is an extremely limited access to start-up finance.

1.4 The administrative and regulatory framework is very discouraging andnot conducive to self-reliance.

1.5 There is a dearth of business assistance, development and support.

1.6 There is often a lack of soft skills in aspiring entrepreneurs in Kashmir.

1.7 There is an absence of inspiration and visible role models/success storiesfor aspiring entrepreneurs to learn from.

1.8 Sufficient dedication and perseverance is missing.

1.9 There is also a lack of imagination about entrepreneurship as a viablecareer path.

1.10 There is a lack of interest in even learning about entrepreneurshipamong certain Kashmiri youth.




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2.1 The Kashmir conflict is a major hindrance to the development of

Kashmir, and to the introduction of entrepreneurship. There is fearand uncertainty among businessmen, local and non-local, and theyhesitate to invest here. Kashmiris have become pessimistic over thepast 63 years. People feel isolated and alienated. We are not ready torisk and invest in new ventures when the market is unstable andunpredictable.

2.2 We are a consumer economy and not a producer economy.

2.3 The best entrepreneurial brains leave Kashmir to pursue successfulcareers outside the valley; our human resource thus gets severelydepleted. In the face of this brain drain, governmental policy is oftenless economically sound and effective.

2.4 Our older generation is risk-averse. Parental pressure with respect to

career choice is a major hurdle in enabling effective entrepreneurshipin Kashmir. Parents thrust their aims and dreams upon their children.Also, if the parents are in government service, they expect their childto follow in their footsteps. There exists a generation gap anddisconnect from the contemporary market and career opportunities.

2.5 Most of the youth want jobs, especially in the government sector.They don’t want to be self-employed or have an enterprise of their

own. Kashmiris are content with any small time jobs that they areprovided.

2.6 There is also a major lack of support for entrepreneurs from theirfamily and friends. Students’ personal environment – their parentsand family members – are always neglected. Social acceptance of entrepreneurship is low.




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2.7 People tend to be very orthodox, and occasionally narrow-minded.This would include our easily satiable nature and poor work culture.

2.8 Kashmir’s climate is unpredictable, and this serves as a majorhindrance to effective entrepreneurship in Kashmir. Financialsecurity and career progression are additional hurdles.

2.9 People do not engage in unorthodox businesses. They don’t seebusiness as a continuous source of income, and instead want adependable salary-based income, i.e. govt jobs.

2.10 We unfortunately look down upon some professions andlivelihoods and this has resulted in a decline of potentially lucrativesmall-scale industries and ventures.

2.11 Dishonesty and corruption has also crippled the industrialsector in Kashmir.

2.12

Engaging in entrepreneurship is viewed upon as breakingsome very important social convention, and is as such frowned upon.There is a consequent lack of societal experience inentrepreneurship.

2.13 We have an unhealthy sense of competition towards themarket. Those who are established in business do not encourageothers to do so for fear of losing market share.

2.14 Youth have difficulty getting married in Kashmir, unless theyare in some form of government employment or the other. Financialsecurity is the single most important concern of Kashmiris andgovernment employment is viewed as the lone option of providingthat. Kashmiri society does not appreciate anything other thangovernment jobs and only people in those jobs are given respect.This is a major deterrent.




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2.15 The media does not play enough of a role to encourageentrepreneurship and to present success stories and inspiring rolemodels in entrepreneurship in Kashmir.

2.16 There is little information on how to get into various marketsand sectors. People instead resort to rent-seeking behaviour andconduct business purely for governmental subsidies.

2.17 Certain business ideas go against religion; for instance,interest is forbidden in Islam, while the entire banking system isbased on interest.

2.18 Women’s movement is often limited in orthodox families andthey thus often find it difficult to start-up businesses.

2.19 No one wants to take a risk, or accept responsibility. There isa “why should I?” state of mind among people.

2.20

Our resources remain largely untapped, acting as a hindranceto the starting-up of entrepreneurship. Access to infrastructuralresources such as road-connectivity, electricity and propercommunication network, Internet is very unreliable in Kashmir. Weare poorly connected and therefore supply chains for businesses areunreliable.

2.21 The lack of evening flights connections between Srinagar and

business metros hinders business travellers from visiting andprevents Kashmir from becoming a hub of business.

2.22 Entrepreneurs are not taken seriously by colleagues andbusiness contacts and are often looked down upon. They are seen asthe ones who failed to secure a government job for him/herself.




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2.23 There is age discrimination shown by suppliers or customerstowards young entrepreneurs, as also by financial institutions and thegovernment.

2.24 Entrepreneurs in Kashmir thus have great difficulty inattracting funding /financial support for their businesses; the lack of adequate start-up finance is a common impediment for young peopleyearning to start their own business.

2.25 Lack of savings and resources on the part of aspiringentrepreneurs in Kashmir is another major hurdle to successful

entrepreneurship in Kashmir. Extravagance at marriages and onother occasions is a major drain on any savings that a person or afamily may have accumulated.

2.26 There is a further lack of securities and credibility, and of business experience and skills, for debt financing. Many peoplecannot provide collateral in exchange for financial support for their

ventures.

2.27 Credit-scoring methodologies and regulations in Kashmir aretoo strict.

2.28 The documentation procedures stipulated for youngentrepreneurs when they apply for finance are too complex. There isintense red-tapism, and long waiting periods are involved, while an

application for funding is being decided upon.

2.29 Business registration procedures in Kashmir are quitecomplex and the costs are very high.

2.30 There are no concerted efforts to encourage entrepreneurshipeducation at the secondary school level.




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2.31 Governmental focus on the development of the private sectorin Kashmir is woefully inadequate. In fact, it serves to de-motivate,since there is a lot of corruption involved. It seems policymakers

don’t ever want us to be self-sufficient.

2.32 There is a further lack of business connections in Kashmir;resources such as business contacts, suppliers, suitable partners andnetworks.

2.33 For those start-up financing possibilities that exist, there is alack of knowledge, understanding and awareness about them. There

is a further lack of knowledge about the legal status/form of anenterprise.

2.34 Lack of successful micro lending/finance and seed fundingfor aspiring entrepreneurs in Kashmir is another major drawback.

2.35 Industry and firm characteristics are unfavourable.

Employees are over-worked and under-paid.

2.36 There is also a general lack of introduction and adoption of enterprise education.

2.37 There are inadequate curricula and study programmes inentrepreneurship.

2.38 There’s a lack of trained and educated teachers who caneffectively impart useful knowledge to aspiring entrepreneurs.People who are themselves employed and lack market experienceimpart entrepreneurship education.

2.39 There is also a lack of career information and businesspossibilities for entrepreneurs in Kashmir. There is a further lack of knowledge about available business support services.




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2.40 There is a serious dearth of tailor-made business training andadvice for young start-ups in Kashmir. It is a giant leap from earningdegrees to practical work.

2.41 There are no trained counsellors, development workersand/or adequate support agencies for young entrepreneurs inKashmir, and no mentoring capacities.

2.42 There are very few exchange networks, forums and meetingplaces, and a lack of other business development. There is also a lack of institutions at the community level for encouraging

entrepreneurship.

2.43 Business and education linkages for aspiring entrepreneursare also very rare in Kashmir.

2.44 There is a further lack of workspace and ICT infrastructureand capability.

2.45 Agri-business is specifically disadvantaged in Kashmirbecause people have started building houses in their agriculturalfields. Agriculture production is steadily declining for a number of reasons.

2.46 In the future, energy needs are going to be the world’sbiggest challenge, and in this regard, the Indus Water Treaty is a

dent to Kashmir.


3.1 Resolution of the Kashmir conflict will not only improve theeconomic stability of Kashmir but also that of India and Pakistan. Butwe must not use the conflict as a convenient excuse for inertia.




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3.2 More people must be introduced to the importance of entrepreneurship in improving the economic setup of the state.

3.3 Experience has a major role to play; if parents have reason to believetheir wards can do well, they will allow them to be entrepreneurs.

3.4 Unemployed youth must join hands and raise awareness in order tocreate employment through entrepreneurship.

3.5 We must ask our friends and family to support our entrepreneurialventures; we must also consider partnership opportunities with

others.

3.6 There must be active Public Private Partnership overentrepreneurship.

3.7 There must be an improvement in business contacts, and in theselection of appropriate suppliers, partners and subsequently

networks.

3.8 The services of skilled counsellors and proper agencies must be usedto propagate information about the importance of entrepreneurship.

3.9 There must be an end to the dependence on government jobs, and theprivate sector in the valley must be strengthened.

3.10 We must all develop a better work culture and work conscientiously.

3.11 Authorities must be made accountable and must take allnecessary steps to develop entrepreneurship-enabling infrastructurein Kashmir.

3.12 Registration methods must be simplified, and low cost,effective entrepreneurship projects must be recognised.




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3.13 There must be identification of various schemes enablingeasy loans for entrepreneurship, which include various financing

mechanisms in place, such as grant financing (‘free money’ ) anddebt financing (soft loans). These schemes must be brought to publicnotice.

3.14 Easy methods of credit scoring and straightforwardregulations must be introduced.

3.15 Entrepreneurship must be encouraged in both rural and urban

Kashmir. At the community level, panchayats must encourageentrepreneurship.

3.16 There must be identification and sustainable exploitation of all resources available within one’s access area.

3.17 Already established and successful projects/persons must be

publicised as inspiring success stories.

3.18 Industrial tours to other places must be organised for schooland college students. Online discussions with entrepreneurs outsideKashmir must be facilitated.

3.19 Efforts to encourage entrepreneurship need beinstitutionalised.

3.20 There must be serious efforts by the government to buildcapacity among youth, motivating them to be economically self-reliant.

3.21 There must be a change in societal attitude towardsentrepreneurship.




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3.22 Existing and traditional entrepreneurs must be activelyencouraged.

3.23 A sense of financial security must be imbibed among peoplewith respect to investment in entrepreneurship. Alternate ways togenerate finance must be actively explored. In this regard,established businessmen can be approached to fund start-ups.

3.24 One way to arrange finance is to present ideas to foreigninvestors – say Kashmiri Diaspora living abroad. These are called‘angel investors’. Some ‘angel investors’ work in conflict zones: one

of them is UNICON.

3.25 Entrepreneurs must learn from their mistakes and failures, tobe better, successful entrepreneurs. They must work for a couple of years in the sector they want to invest in, gain experience in thatfield, before starting their own unit, as most companies start fromzero. We must get rid of the notion of shortcuts and a get-rich-quick

attitude. No pain, no gain.

3.26 Entrepreneurs must have a vision and leadership qualities,and be bold enough to face competition and failures. They must alsobe completely honest in their dealings.

3.27 Rampant corruption in Kashmir must be rooted out.

3.28 There must be seminars, debates and workshops conductedon the pros and cons of entrepreneurship, in places such aseducational institutions. Events like One Young Kashmir must beencouraged, since they bring together people from variedbackgrounds. Pamphlets on entrepreneurship must be prepared anddistributed.




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3.29 Trust between Kashmir and other markets needs to be built,so as to ensure an investment environment for entrepreneurship toflourish.

3.30 We must highlight, promote and use local products. We musttake pride in our traditional businesses and actively pursue them.

3.31 Successful entrepreneurs must be appreciated andencouraged. In this regard, middlemen must be cut out.

3.32 Businesses must be taken seriously and conducted

professionally; scientific and expert advice must be sought forrunning a business. Modern practices must be employed to improveagriculture, horticulture, floriculture and other key industries. Theremust be workshops on the development of saffron. Agricultureproduction must be boosted and farmers should be linked to themarket in an equitable way.

3.33

Eco-friendly products must be introduced. Also, the kangri can even be promoted as a decorative item.

3.34 Micro-level entrepreneurship projects/pilot projects must bedeveloped and introduced in niche areas.

3.35 The government must create adequate market promotionopportunities for our local handicrafts in other parts of world.

3.36 The government must also try to revive the tourism sector of the Kashmir economy, since that has immense potential for effectiveentrepreneurship. New tourist resorts must be developed; the IT,poultry and animal husbandry sectors also have immense potentialfor development. Poultry units can even be started in individualhouseholds – just as they once were – thus creating hundreds of micro-entrepreneurs and producers at a grassroots level.




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3.37 Investment in run-of-the-river hydroelectric power projectsmust be promoted at all levels.

3.38 The cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants andadventure sports must be encouraged in Kashmir; sapphire mining isanother sector that could be revived, as the Kashmiri sapphire isworld famous.

3.39 Sewage treatment plants and the recycling industry are twomore sectors whose development can be examined. Privateintervention into these sectors can be viable.

3.40 The privatisation of the governmental department of PDDand R&B must be explored at the governmental level. This wouldensure the weeding out of corruption in governmental contracts.

3.41 The entertainment industry has great scope in modern times.It means commercialising art and theatre. Photography can also be

developed as a formal industry. There is a strong local demand forentertainment in Kashmir such as cinemas, etc.

3.42 Awareness among youth about the ills of corruption must beimparted from a very early age, so that our next generation may becorruption-free.

3.43 Religious places can be used as a platform for promoting

ideas and encouraging people to enter business.

3.44 Volunteers can try to spread entrepreneurial awareness insociety.


4.1 The government must introduce economic incentives, encouragingpeople to generate self-employment. Budding youth entrepreneurs




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must be given tax waivers for starting their businesses. Easy loanfacilities and more financial institutions that support and encourageentrepreneurship would also be positive steps in this direction.

4.2 There must be counselling of youth, parents, religious scholars,politicians, youth peer groups, so as to motivate our youth towardsentrepreneurship. This can extend to the introduction of psychosocialcounselling of youth and their parents/families, so as to overcomesocietal prejudices against youth entrepreneurship.

4.3 The government must place a moratorium on creating new

government jobs. The government should also consider shedding off all dead wood and unnecessary posts. E-governance can improveservice delivery and reduce the need for so many governmentemployees. Similarly, all government holdings such as JKTDCshould be auctioned off and privatized. There should not be a 7th paycommission — government salaries should not be inflated in such away that private firms cannot compete.

4.4 Experts and those who have excelled in the field must be involved inencouraging entrepreneurship.

4.5 Youth must be connected with role-models, introducing them tosuccesses already achieved by bright Kashmiri entrepreneurs

4.6 Youth must analyse market trends: what to produce, how to produce

and how much to produce, as also whether our society is capitalintensive or labour intensive.

4.7 Management graduates must take on bureaucratic responsibilities ingovernment, so that effective entrepreneurship can be easilyfacilitated through them.

4.8 The government must open more trade routes across the Line of Control and the Line of Actual Control, that separate Kashmir from




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Pakistan and China respectively. In fact, all of Kashmir’s ancienttrade routes must be thrown open for business again. Let Kashmirbecome a hub for business and trade.

4.9 The development of personal savings must be encouraged.

4.10 Also, the Islamic banking system and finance must beintroduced by the government in the Kashmir market. The Auqaf must also provide interest-free loans to budding entrepreneurs.

4.11 Cost-effective projects and plans must be encouraged to

begin with.

4.12 The government must reduce the tax levied on start-ups.

4.13 Micro-lending/finance institutions must be established, andprocedures to get finance must be made customer-friendly. Localself-help groups must also be formed by communities to help people

to finance their projects.

4.14 If financial institutions find an idea viable, they shouldfinance it; they can even become partners in the business.

4.15 Product quality must always be maintained in Kashmir.

4.16 The government must ensure that necessary and expert based

education on entrepreneurship is imparted at all levels of the society.The process would include inter-personal and mass communicationmethods and tools for better results. Month-long/semester-longcourses on entrepreneurship must be introduced in colleges anduniversities. The key would be to make these courses creative andinteresting.




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4.17 Economics as a subject, must be introduced early –preferably at the 9th or 10th grade levels – so that children maydevelop a sense of economics at an early stage.

4.18 The government must simplify registration and regulatorymechanisms, and these must be both online and offline. Also,counselling centres must be in registration offices.

4.19 There must be serious efforts by both the government and theprivate sector to build the necessary entrepreneurship-enablinginfrastructure in the valley.

4.20 Community-based entrepreneurial education must beconducted by existing entrepreneurs.

4.21 Young entrepreneurs must strive to develop really positiverelationships with their customers.

4.22

Young entrepreneurs must also use necessary tips andevaluate the market before investing in any project.

4.23 Young entrepreneurs must also target a specific segment of customers, evaluating the need for and demand of a particularproduct, in a specific location. Market research is thus extremelyimportant.

4.24 All private enterprises in Kashmir must have dedicatedResearch and Development (R&D) departments, and the intellectualproperty rights of any products that they develop must be legallyprotected.

4.25 Mass awareness must be made about the benefits of entrepreneurship, and in this regard, the power of the media,documentary films and social networks must be harnessed.




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4.26 We must first change our thinking to change others’ mindsetspositively, change our outlook towards business at individual levels.We must accept that every profession is respectable. It is we who

create these biases and it is we who must remove them.

4.27 Entrepreneurship education must be imparted from an earlyage, using plays and other informal methods.

4.28 Experts and entrepreneurs must do columns, editorials andstories in newspapers and magazines on the subject of entrepreneurship. Regional business journals must also be started

and widely circulated.

4.29 Instead of a “why-me”, we must all develop a “why-not-me”attitude.

4.30 Qualified business graduates have an important role to play;they can set-up consultancies to help other businesses grow.

4.31 Youth must stand against injustice in the market. Citizensshould form clubs, speaking out against social and economicinjustices. The exploitation by middlemen in the handicrafts andagriculture sector must end so productivity increases.

4.32 The banks must accept gold as sufficient collateral fordisbursing loans.

4.33 Instead of asking for a guarantor or a mortgage from youngentrepreneurs, moneylenders must instead look for promise andhonesty in a young entrepreneur. The credibility of an idea must begiven preference, and not the person who is yet to prove himself.

4.34 District-level units of the JK Entrepreneurship DevelopmentInstitute must be set-up across the valley. They can impart viableentrepreneurial education, help in getting financial assistance from




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banks, and even evaluate the viability of projects for financialinstitutions.

4.35 Bio-fertilizers and manures must replace chemical fertilizers.

4.36 Formal Institutions must be established that focus on careerdevelopment in the filed of entrepreneurship.

4.37 The government must actively engage in facilitating theprivate sector investment in Kashmir. Kashmir should be promotedas an investment-friendly destination and Kashmiri Diaspora must be

encouraged to invest in Kashmir’s economic growth and self-reliance.

4.38 The SEZ’s must be established in the Kashmir Valleyallowing for 100% FDI.

4.39 Entrepreneurs must design and present business plans

professionally.

4.40 Youth must engage in part-time jobs to raise funds for theirstart-ups.

4.41 Entrepreneurship can be practised even in schools, wherestudents can run canteens, bookshops, etc.

4.42 The government must establish an independent monitoringagency that can swiftly remove irregularities/corruption in thesystem. Laws dealing with the stamping out of corruption must bemade harsher.

4.43 The government must introduce a social security system foreveryone, and increase minimum wage levels. It must also compile acomplete database of Kashmir’s resources and make it available tobudding entrepreneurs.




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4.44 The private sector must take immediate action to market ourcricket-bats industry effectively in national and international

markets. The branded final product should be produced in Kashmirto capture full value.

4.45 The manufacture of vermi-compost fertilisers is anunexplored market and a good option for aspiring entrepreneurs.

4.46 NGOs must design projects that teach people self-reliance.




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ANNEX –

One Young Kashmir Action Day Flyer

Let’s Learn and Live Our Culture




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OYK 2011-SummitReport

Documents

Transcript of OYK 2011-SummitReport